Browse by Artist: INCREDIBLE STRING BAND, THE

Artist:	INCREDIBLE STRING BAND, THE
Title:	Wee Tam
Label:	4 MEN WITH BEARDS
Format:	LP
Price:	$19.00
Catalog #:	4M 209LP

"Wee Tam and The Big Huge were originally released in 1968 as both a double LP in the UK, and individually as two separate albums in the US. They mark a creative high point for the band that is only matched by their other 1968 masterpiece, The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter. Produced, as always, by the legendary Joe Boyd, these albums feature some of the band's best and most accessible songwriting. While The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter and The 5000 Spirits Or The Layers Of The Onion may have been considered more revolutionary at the time, Wee Tam and The Big Huge have aged considerably better and many considered them to be the band's finest work, given an 8.1 rating by Pitchfork." 180 gram vinyl. 2010 2CD remastered reissue available on Fledg'ling (FLED 3079CD).

Artist:	INCREDIBLE STRING BAND, THE
Title:	Nebulous Nearnesses
Label:	AMOEBA
Format:	CD
Price:	$14.00
Catalog #:	AR 002CD

"The Incredible String Band reformed in 2000 around the original 1966-74 nucleus of Mike Heron, Robin Williamson and Clive Palmer. Cardiff-based keyboards-player Lawson Dando and Williamson's wife Bina completed a line-up that toured the UK between 2000 and 2002. Heron and Palmer kept the band going following the departure of the Williamsons and brought in female multi-instrumentalist and vocalist Fluff, and later bassist Gavin Dickie. Their 2003 tour exhumed classics from the first six ISB albums, generally acknowledged to be the band's artistic high water mark. Peter Gabriel's Real World Studios in rural Wiltshire was the site of this 'live in the studio' album, recorded in front of an invited audience."

Artist:	INCREDIBLE STRING BAND, THE
Title:	The Incredible String Band
Label:	FLEDG'LING (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.50
Catalog #:	FLED 3076CD

The Incredible String Band was founded in Edinburgh in 1965 when Clive Palmer, Robin Williamson and Mike Heron began a journey which would connect traditional folk music, ragtime and the emerging counterculture/psychedelic scene. Their recordings paved the way for what has since become known as "world music." High-profile Incredible String Band fans include Paul McCartney, Billy Connolly, Robert Plant and the Archbishop of Canterbury. Signed by Joe Boyd to the prestigious Elektra label, their early recordings are among the finest and most imaginative of the period. The Incredible String Band -- their 1966 debut LP, is a powerful mix of their many influences. Highlights include "October Song," "When The Music Starts To Play," "Empty Pocket Blues," "Smoke Shovelling Song" and the closing "Everything's Fine Right Now." For many fans, this beguiling album was the first step in a life-long fascination for all things ISB. The band quickly became favorites on John Peel's pirate radio-show "The Perfumed Garden." "Through the incense and the exotic blend of instruments and influences came an original and memorable combination of shining talents destined to outlast their era." Carefully re-mastered by original producer Joe Boyd and engineer John Wood. Housed in a stunning digipack with all elements of the original artwork. New sleevenotes from Clive Palmer and Robyn Hitchcock. Mike Heron (lead vocal), Clive Palmer (vocal, guitar, kazoo and banjo), Robin Williamson (lead vocal, violin, guitar, mandolin and whistle).

Artist:	INCREDIBLE STRING BAND, THE
Title:	The 5000 Spirits Or The Layers Of The Onion
Label:	FLEDG'LING (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.50
Catalog #:	FLED 3077CD

The second album by The Incredible String Band, The 5000 Spirits Or The Layers Of The Onion was first released in July 1967. With Clive Palmer having left for India, Mike Heron and Robin Williamson were accompanied by Danny Thompson on double bass and Licorice on vocals and percussion. The album demonstrated the beginnings of what Williamson describes as using the studio as a giant paint box. Standout songs include Heron's "The Hedgehog's Song," Williamson's beautiful "First Girl I Loved" (later recorded by Judy Collins, Jackson Browne and many others) and his "The Mad Hatter's Song." Enthusiastic reviews in the music press were accompanied by appearances at venues such as London's UFO Club (co-owned by Boyd), and Queen Elizabeth Hall. Their exposure on John Peel's "Perfumed Garden" radio show on the pirate ship Radio London, and later on BBC's "Top Gear," made them favorites with the emerging UK underground audience. The album went to #1 on the UK folk chart, and was named by Paul McCartney as one of his favorite records of that year. Carefully re-mastered by original producer Joe Boyd and engineer John Wood. Housed in a stunning digipack with all the elements of the original artwork. New sleevenotes from Mike Heron. Mike Heron (lead vocals, harmonica and guitar), Robin Williamson (lead vocals, bowed and bass gimbri, guitar, flute, Soma sitar, tamboura, drums, rattles, oud and mandolin), Danny Thompson (double bass), Licorice (vocals and finger cymbals), John Hopkins (piano), Nazir Jarazbhoy (sitar, tamboura).

Artist:	INCREDIBLE STRING BAND, THE
Title:	The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter
Label:	FLEDG'LING (UK)
Format:	CD
Price:	$15.50
Catalog #:	FLED 3078CD

The Incredible String Band's The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter, their finest studio work, reached the top 5 on the UK album charts soon after its release in March 1968, and was nominated for a Grammy in the U.S. Robert Plant has said that Led Zeppelin found their own way by playing Hangman's and following the instructions. A departure from the band's previous albums, the set relied heavily on a more layered production, with imaginative use of the then-new multi-track recording techniques. The album's centerpiece is Mike Heron's "A Very Cellular Song," which incorporates a Sikh hymn and the Bahamian spiritual "I Bid You Goodnight" (learned from Joseph Spence). Carefully re-mastered by original producer Joe Boyd and engineer John Wood. Housed in a stunning digipack with all the elements of the original artwork. New sleevenotes from Robin Williamson. Mike Heron (lead vocals, sitar, Hammond organ, guitar, hammer dulcimer, harpsichord), Robin Williamson (lead vocals, guitar, gimbri, whistle, percussion, pan-pipe, piano, oud, mandolin, jew's harp, chahanai, water harp, harmonica), Dolly Collins (flute organ and piano), David Snell (harp), Licorice (vocals and finger cymbals).

Artist:	INCREDIBLE STRING BAND, THE
Title:	Wee Tam & The Big Huge
Label:	FLEDG'LING (UK)
Format:	2CD
Price:	$15.50
Catalog #:	FLED 3079CD

Wee Tam & The Big Huge is the fourth album by The Incredible String Band, and the band's most ambitious album to date, conceived as a double LP. First released in Europe as both a double LP and separate single LPs in November 1968. In the U.S., Elektra released the two albums separately as Wee Tam and The Big Huge, on the same day. The set is considered by many fans to be, along with its predecessor The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter, their finest studio work. By the second half of 1968, The Incredible String Band saw their popularity and reputation growing on both sides of the Atlantic, and they began to sell out large concert venues like the Fillmore (East and West) and London's Royal Albert Hall. The album reflected an even wider variety of influences than the previous two releases and was packed to overflowing with classic songs from Mike Heron and Robin Williamson. Deluxe 2CD set for the price of a single album. The Fledg'ling deluxe 2CD digipack edition comes in a choice of two stunning front covers! Carefully remastered by original producer Joe Boyd and engineer John Wood with acclaimed mastering technician Simon Heyworth. The sets incorporate all elements of the original artwork and new sleevenotes from Mr. Boyd. Mike Heron (lead vocals, guitar, sitar, bass, organ, harpsichord, washboard, percussion, harmonica), Robin Williamson (lead vocals, guitar, bass, piano, drums, whistle, organ, violin, Irish harp, gimbri, sarangi, harpsichord, flute, kazoo, bass drum), Rose (violin, percussion), Licorice (Irish harp, percussion).

Artist:	INCREDIBLE STRING BAND, THE
Title:	Across The Airwaves: BBC Radio Recordings 1969-1974
Label:	HUX (UK)
Format:	2CD
Price:	$27.00
Catalog #:	HUX 087CD

"The Incredible String Band was arguably one of the most engaging groups to emerge from the esoteric 1960s. Basically the duo of Mike Heron and Robin Williamson, their sound was comprised of haunting Celtic folk melodies augmented by a variety of Middle Eastern and Asian instruments. In the late '60s, the ISB became major players on the burgeoning underground scene, sharing bills with the likes of Pink Floyd at London's UFO club and acquiring cult status with the cognoscenti after the 1967 release of their album, 5,000 Spirits Or The Layers Of The Onion. John Peel soon became a big fan and was quick to get them to record sessions for his BBC Radio 1 shows. The Incredible String Band adopted an adventurous approach to their BBC radio sessions, using them to try out new, non-album material or radically rearrange older songs, encompassing a remarkable variety of instrumentation and genres. This double CD contains 13 previously-unreleased recordings and has been compiled and released with the full co-operation of the band. The accompanying 24-page booklet includes rare photographs, comprehensive liner notes and a full BBC sessionography, plus an additional note from Mike Heron and lyrics to several of the featured songs."

Artist:	INCREDIBLE STRING BAND, THE
Title:	Tricks Of The Senses
Label:	HUX (UK)
Format:	2CD
Price:	$27.00
Catalog #:	HUX 100CD

Sub-titled: Rare and Unreleased Recordings, 1966-1972. "One of the most engaging groups to emerge from the esoteric 1960s was the Incredible String Band. Basically the duo of Mike Heron and Robin Williamson, its sound was comprised of haunting Celtic folk melodies augmented by a variety of Middle Eastern and Asian instruments. Tricks Of The Senses is a double CD compilation of unreleased or rare Incredible String Band material from the Witchseason and Island Records archives, and represents a fascinating alternative history of the band. ISB's Robin Williamson and Mike Heron were fully involved in this project from the start, and were both impressed by the quality of the material that was unearthed. The opening track here, Leadbelly's 'Relax Your Mind,' is taken from the band's own 1966 rehearsal tape, and is the source of the earliest surviving two-man ISB material. 'Lover Man' (with Danny Thompson on string bass) is an unreleased song from the band's second album, 5,000 Spirits. 'All Too Much For Me' & 'The Iron Stone' are outtakes from the band's Wee Tam LP. The remainder of disc 1 features previously unreleased recordings from a 1968 US radio session. The second CD starts with 'Penwern,' an instrumental which was not used for the 1969 Be Glad film soundtrack for which it was originally recorded. 'El Ratto' & 'Long Long Road' are both previously unreleased recordings from the ISB's 1970 song & dance extravaganza, U, which was performed at London's Roundhouse Theatre. 'All Writ Down' is an alternative stereo version, featuring an additional verse. 'Queen Juanita' is a rare outtake from the band's I Looked Up album issued only on a long-deleted 1976 compilation. 'Poetry Play # 1' is a previously unreleased 1971 recording. The final two tracks are outtakes from the Earthspan sessions, recorded in 1972. The accompanying 28 page booklet features exhaustive liner notes, including a detailed story about the background to this project. Also featured are several rare photographs and full lyrics to many of the songs."

Artist:	INCREDIBLE STRING BAND, THE
Title:	The Incredible String Band
Label:	SUNDAZED
Format:	LP
Price:	$19.00
Catalog #:	SC 5127LP

"If any musical combo ever meshed perfectly with the times it was the Incredible String Band. And here's the proof: their 1966 debut, The Incredible String Band; 1967's The 5000 Spirits Or Layers Of The Onion; and The Hangman's Beautiful Daughter from 1968 -- all on deep-grooved, 180-gram vinyl. The wildly eclectic Scottish folk outfit -- with the airy vocals and fretboard prowess of Robin Williamson and Mike Heron as its two constants -- began life resurrecting wondrous and ancient Celtic ballads, then was transformed by the perfumed winds of 1967's psychedelic revolution to add sitar, oud, gimbri and all manner of exotic axes to its arsenal. The result is a gently mesmerizing psychedelia and anti-folk stance -- consummate counterpoint to current psych heroes like Mogwai and Beachwood Sparks -- that makes perfectly clear why the Incredible String Band remains just that: incredible."

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